This invention relates to a crop harvesting header including a cutter bar and a reel for controlling movement of the crop in the area over the cutter bar. The reel is rotatable about an axis generally parallel to the cutter bar and has a plurality of reel bats each having reel tines projecting generally radially outwardly from the reel axis. The reel bats are pivotal each about a respective bat axis parallel to the reel axis so as to vary the angle of the tines about the bat axis as the reel rotates. Typically the reel co-operates with a cam carried on the header in generally stationary position so that each bat has a crank arm with a cam follower on the crank arm which follows the cam as the reel rotates and causes the required pivotal movement of the bat. An example of a header of this type is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 6,591,598 (Remillard) issued Jul. 15, 2003 to the present Assignees.
One problem which has arisen with the arrangement of the type described in this patent is that the tine tube bearings cannot tolerate the high speed of the pivotal movement of the tines necessary to meet the reel speed required for the higher ground speeds which can now be achieved by current headers.